Luggage on wheels



Feb. 16, 1960 A. J. STILGER LUGGAGEON WHEELS Filed Au 11, 1958 1; a Qrwemiw It 1575x2024 M162 5 the present invention;

f2,2s,2ss':.-.i LUGGAGE ON Arthurial Stilger, -*Pcrt Washingtom- NQ Application August 11,'19ss,'si-n1 No; 754,326

a (c 8M?)- This invention relates to luggageand, more particularly,

to self; contained means for rolling the'luggage'along the ground. 7 I

Ordinarily,'heavy luggage is 'diflicult to handle for both' men and women alike, especially when such must be carried for any'substantial distance. It'istherefore an receiver's rectangular frame19, fo1"ip," 7 "described" g 1i a A'rigid bracket 20 is'secured, such'as by1rivets,ito .th e jt v; end 'wallf'of the trunk,onewithin'each of the. sto ge. a

compartments Each-suchbraclret' includesapair A of spacedapartparallel' arms 21 which slidablysupport' portion 25 acts between the upper arm-21 'and'a stop a object of the present invention to provide luggage of various types having built in wheels that may be selectivevide luggage of the type described which can be manu-' factured at only a slight additional cost, andwhich can be used .for business, pleasure, and travelling purposes.

All of the foregoinguand still further objects andadi a retractable shaft member. shaft member one} section25 of circular cross sectiomandfanother portion 26 of rectangular or non-circular cross seetiomthe upper one of the farms 21slidablyreceiving the round section 25, and-the lower one of the amfi's' 21 slidably' receiving the non 'cireular portion of the shaft. Itwill thus 'be' recognized thatthewheels'32 'rollablysupported upon bracketsSl integral with each of .the'shafts are maintained in parallel planes which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the luggage, so that the wheelsarecon'stantl'y maintained in proper position at all times. 7

A compression spring 28 encircling the round shaft washer plate 29, on each wheel assembly, to normally urge'the wheels 32 toward an extended position. A

closure plate 34, having finger recesses 36, and slidably supported within longitudinal grooves 33 in the rectangular plate or frame 19 is operative to selectively main min the wheels in the storage or inoperative position illustrated in Figures 3 and 6. However, this plate is retractableto permit the wheel 32'to move outwardly under'the action of the spring 28 toan extended position,

following which it is returned tothe closed position so that thegcentral cutout .35 thereof will receive the noncircular portion 26 of the shaft in the manne'rshown in vantages of this invention .will be'come apparent from a a study of the following specification; taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein: V v

Figure 1 is a perspective vview of a trunk embodying self contained wheels made in accordance with the present invention, in operative :use; a

Figure 2 is a fragmentary bottom perspective view of a wheel assembly forming a part of the structure shown in Figure 1 in an extended position;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the wheel assembly in ar'etracted position; t a

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a wheel receiving compartment in one corner of the luggage'made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary transverse cross sectional view taken along line 55 of 'Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional :view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 3;

Figures 4 and 5. When the wheel 32 is so extended into an operative position, the cut out defining portions of the. plate 34 overlie the bracket 31, thus restricting inward movement'of the wheel and associated shaftfportionr, p

As is more clearly shown in Figure 7 of the drawing; a

ball detent 37 under the action of a compression spring upon the extended wheel assemblies 21.

,38 disposed within. a recess 39 in the bottom wall of thetrunk is constantly urged into engagement with the side of the plate 34. When the plate is in the normal closed position, the detent 37 is received within an in; dent 41 of the plate 34 so as to releasably secure the plate in this position, so as to prevent accidental movement thereof which might cause inadvertent movement vof the wheel units in either direction; a

The sides of a U-shapedhandle'45 are slidably re? ceived within elongated sleeves 46 secured to the opposite end of the trunk, so asto enable the handle to be extended when'the trunk is being wheeled along the ground use, however, the handle is moved to the' opposite extremity where it is substantiallyflush with the sides of u t the luggage Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line ,77'of Figure 5; r v a v Figure 8 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 88 of Figure 6; and

Figure 9 isa view sirnilarito Figure 1, showing a. v

suitcase equipped with wheels madevin accordance with Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to Figures 1 to 8 -thereof,atrunk 10 made in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is shown to include a main compartment section 12 having a hingedly connected closure 13 defining astorage compartment therewithin. Additional partition walls 16 define a 7 pair of small wheel receiving compartments 15 vat each lateral trunk, which'is common to'both compartments 15, defines a pair of laterally spaced apart access'openings A side of one end of the base. The bottom wall of the- 17 which open into the interior of each wheel storage A *comparunentj15. Each one of these access openings 17 -With reference now to Figure 9 of the drawing, a smaller suitcase 50 is shown to be equipped with similar wheel and handle units, to illustraterthe fact that this invention is equally applicable to all types of luggage,

large and small, and for. allltypessofpurpo ses.

-It 'will be further understood, when-it is desired to utilize my invention in a'trunk or a large suitcase, the sliding U-shaped handle 45 will be completely omitted;

so-that said trunkior large suitcase can be hand-grasped ,7 by the conventional front handle that is normally pro- 7 vided'in such'trunkfor large suitacase.

' -While this invention has been described withparticular reference tothe construction shown in the drawing, it is a '7 to he understood that such'is not to be construed. as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is bestdefined by the claims appended hereto. 7

When" not in Having thus'described my invention, 1 claim as newfj j' and desire to' secure by Letters'Patents: i 7' 7 1 V 1. A travelling case comprising, in combination, apln;

rality of 'perpendiciilarly intersecting sidewalls defining a masses a siibs't'lantially prismatic interior storage area, partition means within one end of said storage area defining a pa r o ongitudinally spaced apart compar m nts, one

of said sidewalls common to said'compar tmentsdefining ascess pe ngs ommun t ng w t th nterior of h o said cc pa men a mp e wh el assembly tractably supported within each one of said compartments, releasable means selectively securing each said assembly in an extended position outwardly of each said compartment through said associated access opening, each said wheel assembly comprising a bracket secured to another one of said side Walls within each said compartmerit, a wheel, and a shaft roll'ably supporting each said wheel slidably supported upon said bracket, said shaft including a non-circular portion and said bracket including an arm defining an opening slidably supporting said non-circular shaft portion and preventing relative rota- L en. hs etw 2. A travelling case as set forth inclaim 1, wherein said releasable means comprises a closure plate slidably supported upon said common side wall having portions releasably overlying and maintaining said wheel assembly in said extended position.

3. A travelling case as set forth in claim 2, wherein said travelling case comprises a suitcase, and a handle slidably supported upon said suitcase at an end opposite from said one end.

Ref renc s-C t d n t fil fthis patent I v UNITED STATES PATENTS 854,602 

